NEW DELHI: The Centre has issued a Gazette notification announcing the merging of the three municipal bodies into a single entity to be known as the "Municipal Corporation of Delhi."

In the recently concluded session of Parliament, the bill for the merger was passed. After receiving President Ram Nath Kovind's assent, the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2022, was published in the Gazette on April 18, bringing it into effect.

"Upon the completion of each census after the establishment of the Corporation, the number of seats shall be determined by the central government by notification in the Official Gazette on the basis of the population of Delhi as determined at that census, and the number of seats to be reserved for members of the Scheduled Castes shall, as nearly as possible, bear the same ratio to the total number of seats as the population of Scheduled Castes bears to the total population of Delhi."

As per the Act, the said determination of seats has no bearing on the Corporation's current composition until the Corporation's term expires. It further states that seats designated for Scheduled Castes may be rotated to different wards in accordance with the Centre's instructions.

For the united Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Ministry of Home Affairs would issue a separate notification (MCD). According to the Act, a new census will be conducted in order to redraw the wards in Delhi.

Delhi now has 272 municipal wards, however after the three organisations merge, the National Capital would have a maximum of 250 wards, a reduction from the existing number. The MCD (Amendment) Bill, which was passed by Parliament on April 5, required the Centre to appoint a special officer to exercise the corporation's powers and fulfil its tasks until the new MCD's first meeting.

Sonia Gandhi meets with Prashant Kishor for another round of talks on revival plan

Delhi's three municipal corporations become one, President approves merger

Government's concern increased before Boris Johnson's visit to India, agencies alert about riots